Chapter 4

Janette looked at Zeke in front of her as she breathed heavily.

The moment her eyes met his dark red ones, her hazy reason became clear again.

Thinking that this could not continue, she pushed Zeke’s shoulders away with all her strength.

“Wait····.”

At that moment, Zeke’s body, which had not budged like an iron fortress, obediently moved backward.

Seizing the opening, Janette quickly retreated toward the head of the bed.

At the ominous expression on her face as she clenched her teeth, Zeke raised both hands and got up from the bed.

“Well, this should be enough.”

Zeke wiped around his mouth, then picked up the blanket that had fallen during their intense movements earlier and handed it to Janette.

His utterly nonchalant attitude only left Janette more flustered.

Why was someone who had not listened even when she told him to stop earlier suddenly pretending to take care of her now?

But she could not remain like this either.

Janette irritably wrapped the blanket around herself, hiding her exposed body.

“The people outside couldn’t wait and opened the door to check inside. They’ve closed it now because my subordinate, who was coming up the stairs, stopped them.”

“What?”

“It was obvious you wouldn’t be able to deceive them naturally, so I had no choice but to deceive you as well. It’s unfortunate if you found it unpleasant, but isn’t it better than getting caught?”

“……”

“Well, judging from the look in their eyes earlier, they seemed ready to open the door again to get another look. If there’s no suitable alternative, we’ll have no choice but to continue.”

“That won’t happen.”

Janette, who had been sitting on the bed, sprang to her feet, turned around, and put her chemise back on.

“Never.”

After meticulously tightening even the ribbons, she glared at Zeke with all her might, emphasizing her intention.

“Why? If we do it just once, there won’t be any more troublesome situations. What the Duke wants is for me to become completely infatuated with you, isn’t it? If you want to live quietly, that would be easier for you too.”

His tone, as though he were treating her like an object, made Janette’s blood boil.

Being treated as a disposable item by Duke Kirschtein was already enough.

Unable to endure it any longer, she clenched her teeth and strode directly toward Zeke.

Then she grabbed him by the collar with all her strength and pulled him downward.

For some reason, Zeke was drawn toward her far more easily than she expected.

Moreover, contrary to her expectations, he did not look displeased.

He looked rather intrigued.

As though he actually found this situation amusing.

“I didn’t come here to be used as the Duke’s pawn, nor did I come here simply to sell my body once and enjoy a comfortable life.”

“……”

“Noble people like you may not understand, but even someone like me has a reason and a goal for living.”

“Hey.”

Just as Zeke frowned and tried to object, Janette loosened her grip.

Then she struck his shoulder hard, stood up, and approached Zeke’s leather holster hanging from the clothes rack beside the bed.

“What are you doing…..”

Before Zeke could stop her, Janette pulled the dagger from the leather holster.

Then, without hesitation, she placed the blade against the index finger of her left hand and cut deeply.

“Ugh.”

Janette frowned at the unpleasant stinging sensation, clenched her fist tightly, and moved toward the foot of the bed.

At the same time, several drops of blood ran down her index finger and stained the bedsheet.

Having accomplished what she wanted, Janette immediately ran her tongue over her bleeding finger, then wiped it on the scant fabric of her chemise.

“This should be enough to keep them from being suspicious.”

“Well, I suppose so.”

“Your subordinate seems to be guarding the door properly, so I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Janette spoke coldly, pulled aside the bed canopy, and stepped away from the bed.

She did not want to remain near it for even another moment.

But she had not gone far before Zeke’s large hand caught her wrist.

“Do you hate being in the same place as me that much? You can’t even hide your expression. You really are terrible at lying.”

“If you’re trying to pick a fight, I think you’ve chosen the wrong time.”

“There’s no need for you to leave. I can simply stay in the study connected to the bedroom.”

Zeke led Janette back toward the bed, stared at her for a moment, then spoke.

“If you found it unpleasant, I apologize.”

With those words, Zeke opened the door leading to the study and left.

Silence descended.

Janette was now alone in the enormous room, which looked large enough to hold around ten people.

“Hah.”

Since they had pretended to consummate the marriage, she had to stay here tonight.

Janette was not foolish enough to go this far only to ruin everything afterward.

Carefully avoiding the bloodstained area, she lay down on the bed and slowly closed her eyes.

His final words lingered in her ears.

“If you found it unpleasant, I apologize.”

Unpleasant?

He had acted recklessly without even her consent, so naturally she should have found it unpleasant.

But why?

Janette had not found his touch unpleasant at all.

No, rather—

“Get a grip.”

It was merely an act to obtain what she wanted.

Allowing personal feelings to become involved was a luxury.

She neither had the emotional freedom nor the time to afford such a thing.

Ignoring the thoughts that continued surfacing, Janette tightly closed her eyes.

She must simply have been so exhausted that her mind had temporarily stopped working properly.

* * *

The moment morning came after their wedding night, the maids who had led Janette to the bedroom barged in.

“Madam, we will assist you.”

That was what they said, but Janette knew they were actually trying to stall for time so they could search for traces of the wedding night.

However, that was also what Janette wanted.

“All right.”

Pretending to be uncomfortable, Janette bent slightly at the waist and headed toward the bathroom in her room.

The maids washing her body asked her various questions, but Janette merely smiled faintly without giving much of a reaction.

How much more time had passed?

“Everyone, please step outside for a moment. I will dry her myself.”

At some point, Jane approached with a towel and sent all the other maids outside.

Thud.

The moment she confirmed that the door had closed, she held out the towel and leaned against the wall.

“You’ve done well. The Duke will surely be pleased.”

“I already know you’ve informed the Duke of the situation. What do you have to say?”

There was no way such a loyal servant, who had ignored Janette and roughly dragged her along to encourage what had happened, would have failed to report it.

At Janette’s words, Jane raised one eyebrow and immediately continued.

“I have a message from the Duke.”

As expected.

Without the slightest change in expression, Janette calmly asked,

“What is it?”

“The Duke is looking for an item. He instructed you to search the interior of the mansion immediately when the time comes and an opportunity arises.”

“An item he’s looking for?”

“He told you to find a map depicting the entire internal structure of the Imperial Palace, including its secret passages.”

“Are you certain something like that even exists?”

“He said the information came from a recently captured revolutionary officer during an interrogation about their meetings, so it is certain. Of course….”

Jane looked Janette up and down with a sardonic smile.

“He also added that it would be even better if you found other clues as well.”

The realization that he even had his agents among the sparks of revolution suddenly filled Janette with fear.

Could she truly bring down the hammer of revenge upon them?

But Janette drove away the negative thoughts.

It was already far too late to turn back.

Nor did she have any intention of doing so.

“You are the only person who can freely move around the mansion right now because you’ve gained His Highness’s favor. He said you must obtain it.”

At Jane’s urging beside her, Janette reluctantly nodded.

It was the first order she had received as a spy.

If she succeeded, perhaps she could lessen their suspicions of her even slightly.

But why?

Why did the moment Zeke apologized to her suddenly come to mind?

Was it because he had been gentler than she expected?

Or because, having been born into the world against his will and subjected to contempt and ridicule merely for inheriting lowly blood, his circumstances were so much like her own?

Was she actually pitying someone else when her own circumstances were hardly any better?

It was utterly ridiculous hypocrisy.

“My lady?”

“Go on.”

“The Third Imperial Prince will leave the mansion today to attend a summit being held at the Imperial Palace. That will be your opportunity. Thirty minutes from five o’clock.”

“How can you specify the time so precisely?”

“As soon as he leaves, I will create a small disturbance. I’ll give you approximately thirty minutes.”

She was telling Janette to find the map somehow within that time.

In this enormous mansion, no less.

Since things had come to this, she had no choice but to search only the most suspicious places as efficiently as possible.

If so—

The most likely place would be his study, wouldn’t it?

If he truly was the leader of the revolutionary army and had managed to evade every part of the Emperor’s investigation, then he was probably extremely meticulous and thorough.

It was obvious that someone like that would be reluctant to trust others.

So he would surely keep it somewhere only he could see.

Janette steeled herself and slowly nodded.

“All right. I’ll do my best.”

“The Duke has high expectations of you. I sincerely hope you succeed.”

With those words, Jane disappeared down the corridor.

She had claimed she had come to serve as Janette’s maid, yet rather than staying by Janette’s side, she was wandering around the mansion so openly.

Perhaps she intended to draw attention before causing the disturbance she had mentioned.

“Three hours left.”

Janette murmured as she looked up at the large grandfather clock, her expression like that of a knight tense before going into battle.